UK Identifies Ways to Boost Use of Home HD

Commissioners in the West Midlands, where home dialysis rates had been falling for 10 years, set a target for home dialysis uptake. Comparing this area’s seven hospitals with the rest of England for 3 years before and after the target found significant increases at the study hospitals. Use of financial penalities, adding funding for specialist staff and equipment, having visible champions, good systems for patient training, and ongoing healthcare support at home all helped. Lack of training for non-specialists, poorly developed patient education, and patients’ unmet emotional needs are ongoing challenges.